Starred (*) items are the Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club's current heart healthy Literacy choices.

APPETIZERS

Although we are believers in the power of literacy, many people do not see literacy as one of the key solutions to some of the issues affecting people both locally and around the world.

Traditionally, literacy was defined as a person’s ability to read and write. But, it can also include functional abilities, like understanding how to prevent certain diseases, reading signs in the market or on medicine labels, or using a computer.

Literacy empowers people and is essential for community development. Literate people are more likely to:
• Develop Economically
• Live Healthier Lives
• Be More Peaceful

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

Recommended for those Rotary Clubs with a hearty appetite for LITERACY and a craving for international flavors.

Training the Trainers in Southern Sudan: A Literacy-Health Project*
This project is for teacher leaders from Southern Sudan, an area still recovering from years of war and neglect. There is a desperate need for basic educational services. The area also has severe health needs.

Phase 1 of the project occured August 2009 in Tanzania. EMRC members traveled to Tanzania and provided transportation for two Southern Sudan teacher leaders who joined them at the Pan African Conference. They assessed their educational needs, and started developing teacher training and curriculum based on the health and literacy needs of the Southern Sudanese.

Phase 2 is under way. The needs assessment, curriculum, and communications with the Sudanese educators are primary activities. Training will occur at the Deng Malual Library, Bor County, Southern Sudan. Having teachers from Rotary District 5060 on sit for the opening of the Library facility is a primary goal.

Phase 3 will include evaluation and follow up.

EMRC is working on this project in cooperation with the International Reading Association.

FUSION FAVORITES

Recommended for those Rotary clubs wanting to blend their local & international support for LITERACY.

Reading Across Continents*
Reading Across Continents (An International Reading Association Project) connects students and teachers around the world via literature and technology. The Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club and a Rotary Club in Lahore, Pakistan have purchased books for a classroom in their communities. The books were selected by teachers, librarians and Rotarians.

The students in both countries read their own books and, under the guidance of their teachers, communicate in a literature club format via email. For more information on how to pursue this project, please contact Mocha Ochoa, Project Coordinator, through the Reading Across Continents website or www.reading.org.

A Thousand Minutes Equals A Thousand Bucks
This project is based on the Reading Millionaires Project but is scaled down and extends to children around the world, especially in third world countries. Children in identified areas will read for 1000 minutes (combined) over a year, and in exchange, Rotary clubs will donate $1000.00 for classroom supplies.

Four times a year a Rotary club will provide four sets (number dependent on need) of books at varying reading levels to identified schools. They will also provide Reading Passports for children to record their reading minutes. Prizes will be the books as well as certificates. The Thousand Minutes Equals A Thousand Bucks project is as easy as writing a check. However, developing a relationship with the children and the school is strongly encouraged. The International Reading Association is just one resource for finding a school in need.

Read Locally, Share Globally: Educator’s Book Club Project
Educators who are Rotarians, or who are contacted by local Rotary clubs would form professional book clubs, based on an IRA published book, that is a topic of interest to them. They would read the book and meet monthly to discuss it, and when possible, try out some of the strategies.

Participating educators are then connected, with help from IRA and Rotary clubs, via the Internet to educators in different countries. These individuals would be in a local Book Club reading the same book. Books for educators, living outside of the U.S./Canada, would be funded by local Rotary clubs in their communities. Also, local Rotary clubs would fund any costs related to Internet use.

Throughout the month, contact can occur via the Internet, regarding questions, ideas, successes, etc. generated by the reading. The Read Locally, Share Globally: Educator’s Book Club Project is very do-able and user friendly. There are varying degrees of benefits for all parties involved, but building a professional partnership with an educator in another country would be ideal.

FULL MEAL DEAL

Recommended for those Rotary clubs who understand the importance of LITERACY but desire to pick one or more smaller projects to fill their plates.

Backpacks for Kids*
The Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club collects and puts together 8 backpacks for 8 deserving students in 8 local schools, and distributes them, via principals and counselors, the first week of school. This project is one of our two International Literacy Day projects. We wanted a project that was hands-on and got everyone involved. Using the school supply lists that appear in various stores by mid-August, the Literacy Committee puts together a list of possible backpack fillers for elementary and intermediate aged students. At the meeting before we take them to the schools, we lay out the backpacks, purchased by the Club, and we have a filling party with school supplies brought in by members. Everyone gets involved and thoroughly enjoys it. We include a letter in each backpack wishing the recipient a great school year and sharing with them a few words about Rotary. We also prepare a letter to go to the principal of each school. This is an easy and feel-good project.

International Literacy Day Baby (usually Sept 8)*
In conjunction with International Literacy Day, the Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club also provides a backpack filled with baby books and a registration to Circle of Success for the first baby born on September 8. The backpack is delivered to the hospital and smiles and photos are abundant. This is relatively easy, provides great publicity and is enjoyable to do. If you do not have a Circle of Success program, which is affiliated with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a gift certificate to a local bookstore for a $5.00 a month book for the entire first year would work just as nicely.

Circle of Success*
Ellensburg Morning Rotary is pleased to partner with Circle of Success to provide one year registrations to nine Kittitas County children. In addition, when an EMRC member or spouse has a baby, we provide them with a one year registration. The registration is good for one book a month, delivered in the child’s name, to their door. The intent is that when children are read to starting at infancy, they are better prepared to enter school ready to learn. More information on Circle of Success is at: www.circleofsuccessinc.org.

Discovery Middle Level Learning Center*
The Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club supports struggling middle level learners in the school district’s alternative program. We provide mentoring, tutoring, supplies and funds for various literacy and team building activities. This year our Literacy Committee felt that the middle level students needed to make an investment in what we provide them monetarily, while at the same time learn some real-life skills. The added feature included the students being taught and tutored in how to do research on various desired activities, plan a budget, write a letter of request, create a Power Point, and make a public presentation. Rotary members, Rotaract members and university students provided the tutoring. The Discovery students, looking very professional, attended our early morning meeting and made their presentations. Most schools, public and private, have a wide variety of literacy needs and welcome Rotary support.

Books Freeing Minds*
The Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club has a relationship with the Kittitas County Correction Center to help build up their library. Club members provide new or gently used books, which are paperback, to this very worthwhile project. This is easy to do and truly appreciated.

A phone call to your local correction facility would easily provide you with information about either donating to or beginning a library.

The Erleen Beckley GED Scholarship*
One of our members works for an educational facility that prepares people to take their GED. This member, as a volunteer, also goes into the correctional facility and works with inmates who are preparing to take their GED. The cost for taking the GED test is $85.00 and many times inmates and others simply do not have the money to take the test. After careful consideration of an applicant, this scholarship provides funding for him/her to take the GED test.

Junior Achievement*
Operating since 1919 nationally, and 1953 in Washington, Junior Achievement (JA) is a nonprofit organization providing a series of business, economics and life-skills programs to enhance the education of young people. JA educates and inspires young people to succeed in a global economy.

The Kittitas County Rotary clubs have sponsored and taught JA at Easton, Cle Elum/Roslyn, Thorpe and Ellensburg schools over the past five years.   An exciting new  program is coming to Yakima and yes Kittitas County students can take advantage of it.  It is JA World!

Imagine a city run by fifth graders. Imagine one of these young consumers rushing to the bank to deposit a paycheck after working a shift at a local retail store or another who works at the local newspaper frantically rushing to meet the story deadline before the paper goes to press. Imagine a fifth- grade mayor meeting with business leaders to discuss the current business climate. Now, imagine eighth-grade students immersed in the experience of creating and maintaining a budget for themselves and their families based on their salary. Imagine one student struggling with the decision to buy a home, comparing health care providers for the family and determining which auto insurance is needed for a new car.

Creating these experiences for students has been an on-going dream of Junior Achievement. Now, with JA World completed, this dream is finally a reality. JA World opened its doors on November 16, 2004 in Auburn Washington.  And a new facility will be up and running in Yakima in 2010.

  JA World is a new vision of teaching and learning about the American enterprise and entrepreneurial spirit. It is a dynamic, experiential learning practicum that incorporates both a hands-on and classroom curriculum approach that fully engages students in imagining and investigating their futures.

Tubs for Tots*
The Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club provides LITERACY tubs. These tubs are theme based and filled with at least one book and coordinated supplies. This year the theme was gardening, so the tubs were filled with an informative picture book on gardening and kid-friendly gardening tools. The tubs are given to Head Start/ECEAP parents/caregivers to use with their children to actively promote LITERACY at home.

DESSERT

Recommended for those Rotary clubs who want to add just a small LITERACY piece to their already full plates, or perhaps want to start with dessert first, to see what they think about this kind of investment.

International Reading Association Subscription Project
On a smaller scale but still very important, local Rotary clubs could provide subscriptions for one or more of the International Reading Association professional journals to schools or school libraries in third world countries. The journals are full of helpful ideas and strategies which can be replicated in classrooms as well as stories about teachers and students. Contact the International Reading Association for ideas on how to implement this project www.reading.org.

The Highest Bidder Project
Rotary clubs are known for putting on auctions as fundraisers for their various projects. As part of their yearly auctions, they could auction off: 1. Paid subscriptions for IRA journals for teachers/schools in other countries; 2. Sets of dictionaries or books for school libraries in other countries or low income schools in our towns.

Books for Breakfast Project*
Most elementary schools have a free and reduced breakfast program where they provide breakfast before school for many children. Some have an established Books for Breakfast program where volunteers read picture books to children while they eat. What a great, relaxing way to start the day. Check with your local school about volunteering for or beginning a Books for Breakfast program.

Rotarian Reads Project
Oftentimes a Rotary club has a Rotarian who is unable to get out much but still has the desire to put service above self. Recently a teacher shared with us the need for favorite books to be read on tape for children to listen to at school or at home. Hearing someone read provides great modeling for children, especially for children for whom English is not their first language. The schools have the books, and 10, 15 and 30 minute tapes can be ordered online. As an extension to the Rotarian Reads Project, local libraries and/or radio stations may be interested in partnering with your local Rotary Club. A Rotary member could read and record a couple of books on tape to be aired at 8:00 p.m. a few times a week on the radio as a bedtime story. Your local library may also work with you to provide a 1-800-Rotary Reads number where children may dial up and listen to a story read by one of your more house-bound Rotarians.

SPECIALITY DESSERTS

Joint IRA/Rotary Literacy Projects

Australia
Australian Literacy Association and Rotary District 9600
Tales from a Dilly Bag
A dilly bag is a traditional Australian Aboriginal fiber bag usually used for food transportation. This dilly bag is filled with books, craft materials, activity sheets to go with the stories, a digital camera, and a teacher’s folder. These items allow Indigenous students to share not only oral stories but to additionally create printed and illustrated stories to help develop literacy. About 1300 students have read and created books with these kits. This literacy project design reflects and aligns with evidenced based literacy research. Current research is following the effectiveness of these kits on literacy learning for Indigenous Australian students.
Contact: Australian Literacy Educators’ Association, Janelle Young at jyoung14@gmail.com

Australian Literacy Association and Rotary District 9570
Books for Hospitalized Kids
This project supplies new books to children 0-12 years old recovering from surgery or illness in regional public hospitals. It catches the imaginations of Rotarians, IRA members, donors, parents, community members, and teachers as they work together using literacy to relieve the fear, loneliness, and pain of young hospitalized children.
Contact: Australian Literacy Educators’ Association, Dawn Haynes at d.haynes@ceo.rok.catholic.edu.au and Rotary District 9570, Nea Stewart-Dore at colnea@byterocky.net.au

California
Greater San Diego Reading Association and the Rotary Club of Chula Vista Sunrise, CA
Books for Babies
Many parents of newborns do not understand the joy and importance of speaking and reading to their babies. Rotary and IRA worked together to fund, choose books, assemble backpacks and deliver them to local hospitals. Each backpack for the parents and newborn is filled with baby books, nursery rhymes and pointers on the importance of reading to their baby. Rotary and IRA volunteers serve five hospitals, 25 families in each, two to three times a year. Consistent communication with hospital staff has been key to the success of this effort.
Contact: Greater San Diego Reading Association, Penny Ann Cline, pcline6@cox.net and Rotary Club of Chula Vista Sunrise, Thomas Miller at temiller@cox.net

Idaho
Idaho Council of IRA and Rotary District 5400—the Rotary Clubs of Boise Sunrise, Boise, and Idaho Falls, USA, and the Rotary Cubs of Bahia de Caraquez, Loja, Guayaquil, and Quito, Equador.
Project Libros
Project Libros provides Spanish language children’s books to children and teachers in Ecuador to six schools and a health clinic. The project also has opened computer labs in four schools, provided professional development to the teachers, and introduced the use of e-books in both Spanish and English. Teachers and university students in Idaho helped buy books for the project. Conference presentations, newsletter coverage and the interaction of Bev Pressman and Bob Rainville with Rotary in Ecuador have helped maintain the success of this project. Personal connections to local leaders in Ecuador, including two Idaho IRA Council members traveling there, have been essential to sustaining this project.
Contact: Idaho Council International Reading Association, Lee Dubert at ldubert@boisestate.edu and Rotary District 5400, Bob Rainville at 208-830-1444.

Missouri
Culverton Stockton College IRA and the Rotary Club of Quincy East, Illinois
Literacy Hero
Literacy Hero recognizes educators who are instructional leaders, literacy coaches, and purveyor of books and opportunities for parents to promote literacy at home. The Hero recognition promotes those who help in programs such as a summer literacy bookmobile program that has the support of principals and serves students in six towns.
Contact: Culver-Stockton College IRA Council, Terry Sherer at tsherer@culver.edu and Rotary Club of Quincy East, Illinois, Larry Shepherd at larry.shepherd@mercbanx.com

NW Missouri (St Joseph) IRA and the Rotary Club of Tulsa Southside
Books for Habitat Homes
Rotary and IRA plan for the Books for Habitat for Humanity Homes project to be ongoing. Research shows that availability of reading material is a marker of potential reading growth. To support this concept, IRA provided the book collection and Rotary provided the bookcase for the project’s initial offering. One family has received their personalized book collection and a second family will soon benefit from this program. Volunteers learn about family interests to align the books to each family.
Contact: NW MO IRA Council, Glenda Haley at tgl0346@att.net and Southside Rotary, Richard Meng at 816-238-0983.

Pennsylvania
South Central Reading Council, Penn State and the Rotary Club of York, PA
Reading Secrets
IRA member and Penn State University instructor Julie Wise offers this unique literacy perspective focusing on an overlooked age group: new college students. Reading Secrets pairs college freshmen with seasoned professionals who share how reading plays a role in their success. Mentors help college students identify connections between reading in school, personal growth, and reading that awaits them in the work place. Thirty-six Rotarians mentor students based on professional interests. Students visit the mentor’s workplace, meet the mentors on campus, and do phone interviews. Students write and publish Rotarian Reading Secrets Formula. Throughout the semester, students share reflections through an on-line discussion board. In the end students make changes to personal habits that hinder their comprehension. They increase their academic goals from “reading to get it done” to “reading to learn and grow professionally.” The Rotarian mentors build a safe environment for students to share the struggles of college reading and provide a future vision of success. One important reading secret Julie Wise newly recognized: the importance of setting time aside to read.
Contact: South Central Reading Council/Penn State University, Julie Wise at juliebwise@comcast.net and Rotary Club of York, PA, Jim Poland at jimpoland@jimpoland.com

Tennessee
TN Reading Association and the Rotary Club of Morristown AM, Tennessee
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Each month over 1,600 Hamblen County, TN children from birth to five years receive an age appropriate hard cover book. Parents and children benefit as they experience the fun of reading aloud. Children love that the mail carrier delivers their own personal package each month: a book. Local pre-school teachers report that the children who have been part of this program come to school with many pre-reading skills: print awareness and phonemic awareness among them.
Purchasing and mailing books cost $27 per child per year. The state of Tennessee pays one half the expenses and the rest are raised locally.
Contact: Tennessee Reading Association, Eva Thompson at ethompson@hcboe.net and Rotary Club of Morristown AM, Tish Jones, at tjrom@usit.net

Texas
El Paso Reading Council and the Rotary Club of El Paso
Celebrate Literacy 2009
The El Paso Reading Council and Rotary highlighted literacy in their community by recognizing community literacy leaders. They distributed bookmarks in both organizations and in the public libraries, donated to an adult literacy support group, distributed children’s books to Head Start for 4,000 children, and adopted the Center for Family Violence by donating books and funds to the Center. This brought much community attention and support to literacy.
Contact: El Paso Reading Council and Rotary Club of El Paso: Paul Haupt at cphaupt@earthlink.net

Texas State Reading Association, Amistad Reading Council, and Laredo Rotary Club
International Literacy Project
This project raised $20,000 to build a library in a 500-student high-need elementary school in Mexico. Included in the project was teacher training to ensure the kids got the most out of their new school library. Contributors include a total of four Rotary Clubs in the US and Mexico, the Texas State Reading Association, and the Amistad Reading Council. Texas State Reading Association, Amistad Reading Council and The Laredo Rotary Club, Juanita Lira at juanitalira@aol.com

Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago Reading Association and the Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain
Preparation of Literacy Tutors
This project brings IRA and Rotary together to offer research-based training to tutors who work in community programs in high-need remote areas of Trinidad. The volunteers are selected based on academic qualifications, attitude, and willingness to learn literacy teaching skills. Volunteers have time to practice between sessions that cover diagnostic work with students and parents. They work on improving reading comprehension and word recognition, the writing process, oral skills, and monitoring and evaluating academic work, attitude, and behavior.
Contact: Trinidad and Tobago Reading Association, Lynette Noel at lyntn@lycos.com and Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain District 7030, Ceronne Prevatte at cprevattw@yahoo.com

Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Reading Council and the Rotary Club of Road Town
Book Fair: Reading is a Family Affair
This community book fair included guest readings by the Governor and his wife, the Deputy Premier, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Chief of Police. Teachers, parents, and children got prizes and surprises, families were involved in choosing books together, and all got tips for encouraging the reading habit, working together on reading, and selecting books to build personal libraries.
Contact: British Virgin Islands Reading Council, H. Lynden Smith at lynden_smith@hotmail.com and Rotary Club of Road Town, Melvin Stoutt at Melvin.stoutt@firstbankvi.com

Washington State
IRA (National Office) and the Rotary Club of Ellensburg Morning, WA
Southern Sudan Teacher Training Initiative
This endeavor trains teachers returning from the refugee camps to their homes in Southern Sudan as they attempt to rebuild their civil-war-devastated communities with viable education. Most of these teachers have a high school diploma or less that they earned in the refugee camps. A group of Rotarian and IRA members met with selected lead teachers in August 2009, having them take part in the International Reading Association Pan African Literacy Conference, and have followed up with distance intervention training. The project outline: student and teacher assessment; follow-up with intensive two-week training sessions for 12 mentor teachers; and continued support and evaluation provided either in person or electronically via distance intervention programs. This process is supported not only by Rotary and IRA members, but Central Washington University students preparing to be reading teachers, and students from local Title I schools who are learning about Africa, Sudan, and international issues, and how to select and use durable, easy-to-transport literacy teaching tools for a special population.
Contact: Rotary Club of Ellensburg Morning, Judy Backlund at backlundju@cwu.edu

Click here for a list of what other District 5060 clubs are doing

This Menu of Literacy Options only scratches the surface of literacy programming opportunities. There are a multitude of ways to support LITERACY both locally and globally. We wish you success and would be interested in your ideas as well. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, Judy and Phil Backlund, Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club, Literacy Committee Chairs. backlundpj@elltel.net